12 minute read
News
Mothercare
appoints new CEO
Mothercare is pleased to announce the proposed appointment of Daniel Le Vesconte as the group’s Chief Executive Officer. Daniel will join the Board in the new calendar year.
Dan brings a wealth of international brand experience in direct to consumer, franchise, wholesale and licensing, having held senior leadership roles for several globally recognised brands including Abercrombie and Fitch, Hollister and Gilly Hicks (A&F Corp) Dr Martens (Dr Martens PLC), the Wolverine Worldwide group of brands and Vans and Reef (VF Corp).
Commenting on the appointment, Clive Whiley, Chairman said “I am delighted that Dan is joining Mothercare as our CEO. Dan’s extensive experience in the retail direct-to-consumer, wholesale and licensing sector will be a great asset to the team and me as we focus upon restoring critical mass and driving the Mothercare brand globally over the next five years.”
Dan Le Vesconte, said “I am very excited to be part of the Mothercare team and look forward to working with our global stakeholders to spearhead the growth of the iconic Mothercare brand into the next generation.”
Harrogate
confirms October date fix until 2025
Following another hugely successful Harrogate International Nursery Fair in October this year, the organising team want to underline that dates have been secured to ensure the show will continue to be staged in October on a 3-year plan from 2022 to 2024 to allow everyone to plan ahead.
All exhibitors and visitors should ‘save the dates’: – Sunday 15th to Tuesday 17th October 2023 and Sunday 13th to Tuesday 15th October 2024.
Rebooking will commence very soon and all of this year’s exhibitors will be given priority opportunity to reserve their existing space at the show or request a new stand location before space goes onto general sale. This year’s 2022 exhibitors will be emailed in early December to advise that their priority booking for 2023 is open, so be sure to look out for that in the next 2 weeks! For more information – or to discuss your requirements, contact Adrian Sneyd: adrian@nurseryfair.com or call 01902 880906.
Clarion Events announce new Manchester show
The Baby Show, which is sponsored by Lidl GB, is currently held three times a year at ExCeL London in March, the NEC Birmingham in May and Olympia London in October. The introduction of the Manchester show on 14-16 April 2023 highlights continued growth for the show after 21 years, and further cements its position as the UK’s largest and best-loved pregnancy, baby and parenting event. The new location offers brands the perfect opportunity to reach a new geographical market in the North West and local suppliers of baby and parenting products.
With a wide variety of exhibitors from household names to independent designer-makers, The Baby Show enables visitors to try before they buy, take advantage of unbeatable offers and hear from the nation’s top parenting and baby experts. The three live events have become an integral part of new and parents-to-be’s journey and welcomes over 70,000 visitors to its shows across the year. This number will rise to more than 90,000 with the introduction of a fourth show with the new venue providing consumers with another prime location easily accessible to them.
Mallory Reynolds-Trout, Show Manager, The Baby Show, said: “The Baby Show has helped over one million parents over the past 21 years and it is important that we continue to build upon the premium live shopping experience we already offer.
“By expanding into the North West, we can bring The Baby Show experience to parents within this and surrounding regions and continue to help many more families feel confident when making those big-purchase decisions.
“The Baby Show offers those who join us a unique visitor experience and all aspects of what is much-loved about our current UK shows will be replicated at the Manchester Central venue. We give parents the chance to discover a range of products and brands in person, giving them the opportunity to try before they buy, speak with and hear from the industry’s leading parent and baby experts and feel safe in the knowledge that The Baby Show is there to support them on the exciting journey that stretches ahead of them.”
Headline Sponsor, Lidl GB, highlights: “For five years, we have been the proud Headline Sponsor of Clarion Events’ three consumer baby shows – Olympia London, ExCeL London and NEC Birmingham. We are delighted to expand our sponsorship and announce that we will also be headlining the launch of The Baby Show Manchester Central.”
For more information on The Baby Show please visit: www.thebabyshow.co.uk/manchester or email Ben.Myatt@clarionevents.com
Graco launch new car seat buying guide
The world of car seats can be tricky to navigate. To help parents with this important purchase decision, Graco has launched an online buying guide.
Graco’s Car Seat Buying Guide provides parents with help and advice on what to look for at every stage from baby, toddler to child car seats. The buying guide:
Simplifies the law on car seat standards.
Provides information on the significance of ADAC ratings.
Compares the R44 and R129/iSize standards.
Highlights the benefits between Isofix and vehicle belt installation.
The information is presented through an easy-to-navigate, user-friendly page, with videos that assist with explanations.
Commenting on its launch, Sharon Morrison, Graco Senior Product & Fashion Manager, said: “Car seats have always been the focal point of Graco’s range, so we understand very well the challenges parents have when keeping pace with the ever-changing rules and regulations. Parents put safety and comfort as paramount, so being faced with the variety of car seat options can be a daunting experience. We hope our car seat buying guide will help parents to make informed and confident choices so they can travel, safe in the knowledge that their little one is protected, wherever their journeys take them.”
Graco’s Car Sat Buying Guide can be found at: www.gracobaby.eu/uk/car-seats/buyingguide
In memory of Rosemarie Askaroff, Simplantex Premier Baby
Lema Publishing (the home of Nursery Today) Chairman Malcolm Naish pays tribute to Rosemarie Askaroff.
It isn’t very often that I write an obituary of more than a couple of paragraphs, but such was the impact and history of Rosemarie Askaroff, who founded SIMPLANTEX in the early sixties and whom I contacted regularly when I was running the advertising of a former nursery product trade magazine ‘Pram & Nursery Trader’ through the sixties, seventies and early eighties.
Mrs. Askaroff passed away recently at her home in Eastbourne following a short illness at the age of 89. Rosemarie was a remarkable lady, speaking six languages fluently and made an immediate impression on everyone she met. I would regularly drive down to Eastbourne to have lunch with her and on occasions one of her six sons Simon.
Her mother Sheila was British and the daughter of the founder of the Savoy Hotel, marrying Johannes Faistauer and becoming trapped in Vienna when the Nazis walked in and as a young child Rosemarie could clearly remember the shiny boots of the Gestapo, who regularly detained her parents.
Along with her husband Igor, they were able to move to move to England, first living in London and later to Eastbourne. Rosemarie was a gifted seamstress and on one rainy day created a waterproof cover for her pram. Her husband very quickly realized the commercial potential and promptly patented the first ‘Prambymac’.
It wasn’t long before many local people were asking for this new product, resulting in Rosemarie and Igor cutting and sewing several hundred a week on the dining room floor.
The rest can be described as ‘history’ with Rosemary creating Simplantex and employing many local people. More products followed such as the Buggy Cape, Footmuff and the first Top ‘n’ Tail changing mat.
This was hand sewn and stuffed with Kapok. It was the forerunner of the plastic changing mat that Eric White of East Coast Plastics perfected with his high frequency welding, resulting in Eric becoming a long and loyal supplier of Simplantex.
As fashions changed Simplantex created many other bedding accessories that included leading character licensing images such as Paddington Bear and Beatrix Potter all marketed under their ‘Premier Baby’ brand.
Rosemary loved those sixties and seventies shows that were run in London at the Russell and Bloomsbury hotels and a week later in Harrogate. Simplantex exhibited in the Bloomsbury Hotel and in Harrogate at the Old Swan.
She was a contemporary of Geoffrey Wilson of Silvercross, Howard Baveystock, Clifford Salter and the Atkins brothers of Atcraft.
She retired from the business in 1988 and became involved in a number of local charities and was also very green-fingered, knowing all the plants and species by their Latin names. She was delighted when her grandchildren became involved in the baby business.
Premier Baby lives on in Eastbourne selling the MOBA Moses Basket – the first British-made synthetic Moses Basket with integral handles and winner of the ‘Gold’ award.
Coffee Break
Nursery Today caught up with the Pebble Agency’s co-founder Catherine Haken to find out more about this new and innovative nursery PR company.
Who is behind the Pebble Agency?
I set up The Pebble Agency with Jo Studholme in August 2022. Jo and I have worked together on various projects for years, and although the agency is new, we are certainly not new to the nursery industry. Shortly before the Harrogate Nursery Fair, Leah Day joined the team.
Why did you decide to set up a PR & Marketing Agency?
I have worked in the nursery industry for around 27 years. I’d been approached a number of times regarding PR so it has been on my mind for a while.
I was having a long-overdue catch-up with Jo and asked if she was interested in setting up an agency, she said YES! Jo has some amazing experience in areas I don’t.
Catherine Haken
What can you offer Nursery clients looking for some support?
We pretty much cover everything. Most can be done in-house with our extensive experience in the nursery industry and direct to consumer retail background. The three of us have different qualities to bring to the table. As well as all the usual PR services, we also offer design, influencer marketing, video, photography, copywriting, and web design and build. With the addition of Leah we are now well placed to confidently offer an expert digital service, Leah is the digital geek of the three of us!
Jo Studholme
In this current tough climate why is it important for brands to continue their Marketing & PR efforts?
Adapting our clients’ PR & Marketing Strategies is imperative in these uncertain times to ensure that their brand is the one that keeps their customers engaged. Suddenly halting marketing efforts can seriously impact long term goals and waste money previously invested.
Leah Day
How are you different from the other PR Agencies in the industry?
We did a lot of research to look at ways we could differ. We do have standard monthly packages, but we also have ‘additional’ services, which we have aptly named ‘Pebbles’. Flexibility is key - we are more than happy for brands to choose a couple of Pebbles each month to fit their business requirements. This initiative is going really well for us. We also have one ‘huge’ USP - Mumii.co.uk. We believe we are the only PR Agency in the industry to own a Consumer Media Platform. Perfect added value for our clients.
What are your plans for the future?
We will continue to build our clients for the agency alongside practising what we preach on the Mumii platform to ensure it becomes one of the top parenting publications in the UK!
If you would like further information about the services The Pebble Agency offers, please contact us today. info@thepebble.agency www.thepebble.agency
Fraupow are pumped
looking back at a great year
2022 has certainly been a successful year for wireless breastpump brand Fraupow. In a short space of time since launching in 2021, they have built a large community of fans and loyal followers who feel empowered and supported by the brand.
Highlights of 2022 include celebrity endorsement by high profile Mums Maeva D’Ascanio, Malin Andersson and Ali Bastian.
Fraupow’s commitment to supporting feeding Mums goes beyond a marketing message. They proved their intention by partnering with Exeter shopping centre The Guildhall to open a luxurious Fraupow Feeding Space, filled with freebies and home comforts for Mums. They also launched their fmidwife live chat and video consultations, as well as an online community group for peer to peer support.
All of this activity supports the story of the hero product, the Fraupow Hands Free Breast Pump - which won Gold at the Dadsnet 2022 Awards. The Fraupow Pump and accessories have exceeded sales expectations in 2022, gaining new listings at Boots, JoJo Maman Bebe, Babies R Us and Fenwick.
So what will 2023 hold for Fraupow? The year will get off to a flying start as the products will launch at further High Street retailers, and NPD is on the way with a range expansion into feeding accessories and wellbeing.
For further information contact Fraupow’s distributor, Hippychick
sales@hippychick.com www.fraupow.com
Happy anniversary Mary Meyer
Coming into their 90th year, Mary Meyer continue to design their baby and everyday toys in Townshend, Vermont, USA.
They are excited to be launching a new category, Cuddlebooks, new activities toys for baby. These soft books feature unique characters, signature fabrics, and lots of room for imagination. The unique design allows for all kinds of play and interaction.
www.marymeyer.com
Migno is mums choice
The Migno doll’s pram from ABC Design has received the accolade of a Mum’s Choice Award, strolling away with silver in the ‘Best Toys for Children Aged 4-7 Years’ category.
The Migno doll’s pram is renowned for its unrivalled quality and functionality, with German engineering at the heart of its stylish design. The pram is made from sustainably recycled materials and is built to withstand years of play, making it the ultimate role-play experience for children and a sustainable choice for parents.
Having stolen the hearts and imaginations of children across the world, the Migno doll’s pram has been recognised as one of the best children’s toys for 2022 – just in time for Christmas!
Fiona Suffield, ABC Design UK and Ireland Country Manager commented: “We have always championed the Migno doll’s pram for its quality and affordability as the perfect children’s gift so we’re delighted to have been recognised with such a prestigious award from Mum’s Choice in this category. We hope that families across the UK will make memories to last a lifetime this festive season with the gift of a Migno on Christmas Day!”
